The Dissidents / D.O.V.E. A Better World split LP
Now I didn’t see this one coming, but it is a record that makes a lot of sense, not just musically but politically as well. Unless you have been living in total isolation in a cave for the past ten years, living off insects, dead snails, and moss, you will have noticed that the world is getting more oppressive, violent, and intolerant by the hour, and it is only logical that some punk bands, as a form of protest, use the medium to express their outrage in a way that is relevant to the present sociopolitical context. A Better World is a record embedded in our contemporary reality; it is a punk record of the old anarcho-punk tradition, a collaboration between two like-minded bands, united by a common message: the DISSIDENTS from Philadelphia (with the much-respected Bill Chamberlain on guitar, who tragically passed recently), and D.O.V.E. from California. I love the album a lot for its sincerity, its positive energy. and for the effort from both bands to write catchy tunes that have proved to be perfectly hummable. The DISSIDENTS, with their dual female vocals and dynamic, tuneful punk rock style, remind me of ‘90s and ‘00s bands like HARUM-SCARUM, the ASSASSINATORS, or even UK bands like DAN. The band manages to be melodic and angry at the same time in an old school fashion. I liked their split with VITRIOLIC RESPONSE, and this one is even better. On the other side, D.O.V.E. goes for a more classic ’80s anarcho-punk sound (often renamed “peace punk” in the context of the ’80s and ’90s punk scene in Southern California), a genre I have always cherished dearly. Their first LP was very good but showed that D.O.V.E. was still learning how to fly. This new effort is more focused, the songwriting is more solid, diverse, and memorable, and demonstrates how great the band has become. At their most upbeat, classic UK bands like the SEARS or A-HEADS come to mind, but there is also a moodier post-punk vibe running through the music, and INDIAN DREAM, AWAKE MANKIND, and LOST CHERREES also got invites, while the band even dares to wander into proper OMEGA TRIBE-approved hippie-punk territory with the soft “Peace by Piece.” If you don’t like classic anarcho-punk, D.O.V.E.’s music won’t really cut it (hopefully the message will), but I love the genre, and they gracefully tick all the boxes of genuine idealist anarcho-punk music—in a world full of bitterness and cynicism, this record feels fresh. You should definitely hurry.